The Rev. Jonathan Appleyard, rector of St. Saviour's Parish in Bar Harbor, will be in the church office at St. John's this Thursday from 1:00-4:00; at 2:00 he will continue to offer a Bible study based on the lectionary. Everyone is welcome.

The St. John Singers have a new schedule. They will meet on the second and fourth Monday of every month at 5 p.m., beginning on Monday, Sept. 27. All are welcome to join this group, which practices the hymns chosen to be sung on Sunday mornings and occasionally suggests alternative choices.

This week's Sunday Forum at 9 a.m. will provide an opportunity to discuss what's up in the parish and to ask questions of the senior warden and vestry members. The forum on October 2 will feature Scott Martin and "The Miracle of the Monarch Butterfly."

This Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. at St. Savior's in Bar Harbor there will be a meeting for all Island Episcopalians to discuss the upcoming six-month "experiment" of sharing clergy and other resources among all four MDI parishes. Please come find out what's being planned and add your ideas to the mix!

There will be Building Committee meeting at St. John on Monday, September 27 at 5 p.m. Anyone with an interest in the well-being of our buildings is welcome to come.

At last Sunday's amazing forum, Reginald Bellamy, chaplin to a large Baltimore prison, said that unused Christmas cards were at the top of his wishlist for the prison inmates. There will a box in the back pew at St. John for card donations. Mary Vekasi is organizing the effort. If you wish to donate to Mr. Bellamy's ministry, you can contact him at Sonship Recovery Prison Ministry, Transformation Church, 5150 Baltimore National Pike, Baltimore MD 21229.

Farmer's Market – will be in St. John's parking lot from 9:00-1:00 each Friday until mid-October.

Please keep the Open Hearts Open Doors Capital Campaign, which proceeds apace, in your prayers. Here is a special prayer for the campaign, thanks to Joan Bromage and Rita Redfield:

"Gracious God, we offer thanks for our parish, for your inspiration, and for the spirit of ministry which is our heritage.

We acknowledge your call to continue serving each other and the people in our community through open hearts and open doors.

Guide us all, especially our Capital Campaign and Design & Construction Committees and Vestry, as we seek funding and plan expansion of the facilities, including accessibility for all at St. John.

Inspire us to share faithfully the love that you have revealed to us through the ministry and sacrifice of your son, Jesus Christ. AMEN"

COME HOME FOR SUPPER! on Friday evening, October 8! A time to "reconnect" and enjoy great food and conversations. Invite friends and sign up at church on Sunday, September 26. Or call/email Joan Bromage, Rita Redfield & Ken Cochrane, or Ida Smallidge before Monday, September 27th. If you would like to host, please let us know--new volunteers welcome--it's an easy way to entertain!

MDI Churches

Singers Invited - In the spirit of our MDI parishes cooperating and working together I'd like to invite singers from St. Mary's, St. John's and Church of Our Father to join the St. Saviour's Choir in a performance in honor of All Saints on Sunday, November 7 at 3 pm. The program will include Haydn's Little Organ Mass, Mendelssohn's Grant Us Thy Peace, Mozart's Ave Verum, The Souls of the Righteous by Geraint Lewis and an arrangement of the Shaker tune Lay Me Low. The choir will be accompanied by strings and organ.

Rehearsals are on Thursdays from 7-8:15 or so, and the dress rehearsal is Saturday, November 6 at 1 pm. This is the third year for us present a concert in honor of our loved ones who have died and it has proved to be a meaningful experience for the choir and also well-received by the community. I would love for all parishes to be represented and please contact me if you are interested so that I can prepare a folder for you. Note: September 23 is the last possible date to join the group.

Hospice of Hancock County in Ellsworth is offering the following support groups:

·Widows & Widowers – Fridays-October 1-December 3 from 4-5:30 pm

·Parents Who Have Lost a Teen or Adult Children – Mondays-October 18-December 6 from 4-6 pm

·Adults Who Have Lost a Parent or Sibling – Thursdays-October 7-December 2 from 4-6 pm

·Survivors of Loved Ones Who Have Completed Suicide – Wednesdays October 6-November 17 from 11am to 1pm

Contact the office there at 337-2531 to register or for information. Programs are free and run by trained professionals.

The church office will be open September 27th when it will resume regular hours on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. If you have questions or need assistance before then, please call Ted Fletcher (244-3115) or Ann Cox Halkett (288-5832).